Preserving

As our children get older, as our vegetable garden gets larger, and as I have more “free time” for activities I enjoy, I hope to increase the types and quantities of food I preserve each year.

And since we’re entering the time of year when canning and preserving are becoming hot topics of conversation again, I thought it might be perfect timing to share some of MY favorite canning resources (the ones I’ve used year after year for as long as I can remember).

This recipe for refrigerator dill pickles doesn’t require any traditional canning equipment, and you can make as large or as small of a batch as you’d like. They are a huge hit with our pickle-loving kiddos, and a great way to use up the insane number of cucumbers we’re picking from our garden.

If you’d like to try making your own dill pickles, I doubt you’ll find an easier recipe to start with!

Although I normally don’t encourage procrastination, when it comes to canning applesauce, I almost always push it off until winter when I’m cooped up inside and don’t have nearly as many to-do’s on my list.

If you want to can applesauce but just don’t know when you’ll fit it into your busy Fall schedule, push it off a couple months and try canning it in the winter!

Over the years, as I shared some of my canning journey here on my blog, I have been continuously asked for my “favorite” canning and preserving recipes.

So in an effort to compile all my favorites in one convenient location (both for myself and for you) I thought it might be nice to link to them all in one post… just in time for peak canning season here in West Michigan!

I canned 36+ quarts of applesauce this weekend! Yes, you read that right… Valentines Day weekend.

It might sound crazy to be canning in the middle of winter IN MICHIGAN! But that’s usually how I do it because that’s when I have the time and that’s when I’m cooped up inside anyway! Am I the only “crazy” one??

Canning applesauce is often a project that seems very overwhelming… but today, I’m making it as simple as I possibly can by showing step-by-step how I can applesauce in 9 steps (with LOTS of pictures!)

If you’ve never tasted home-canned foods, you don’t know what you are missing. However, unless you intend to start canning, I wouldn’t recommend trying home-canned food… because once you do, it will be REALLY hard to go back to the store bought stuff 🙂

Today, I’m sharing a few reasons why I love canning jam — as well as a bunch of helpful jam-making tips and resources.

Last week, I picked over 17 pounds of strawberries for making jam, smoothies, pies, and just for eating. However, since we were very busy over the holiday weekend and are busy this week getting ready for our upcoming vacation, I’m freezing my smashed berries and will make jam when I get back.

Today, I’m sharing a few tips and resource to help simplify the process of canning jam!

Last week, I snatched up a huge bag of Michigan apples on the discount produce rack… and while many were still good for eating, a few were quite bruised and mushy.

So instead of baking bread or a pie, I decided to make a very small batch of homemade applesauce… in the microwave. After cooking the apples for 8 minutes, the sauce was ready, and my kitchen smelled fabulous!

My mom and I have been canning peaches all morning {33 quarts total}… and we’re just about finished! I know I’ve said this before, but canning really is pretty easy! Yes, it takes time and effort; yes, you make a bit of a mess; yes it’s more difficult than buying store-bought canned peaches — but if you’ve ever tasted home-canned peaches, you know that it is totally worth it! So, if you are thinking about canning peaches — or anything else this […]

Once June rolls around, my mind immediately starts thinking about canning and preserving all the many fruits and vegetables that will soon be available across West Michigan. My stockpile is running pretty low {the picture above is from last summer} so I’ll most likely be doing a good amount of canning this summer and fall — don’t worry, I’ll share my progress and the delicious recipes! However, right now, I want to focus on gearing up and getting ready for the […]

Yes, I know…it’s only March and fresh berries aren’t even close to “in season” — at least not in Michigan. However I did see the very first batch of rhubarb at the store today…spring is almost here! Even so, it’s still possible to make a small batch of homemade jam TODAY. I guarantee you can do this! Recently, I came across another way to make really small batches of jam in the microwave {yes, the microwave} …and it only takes a small amount of […]

I’ve been in a major food preserving mode lately. Partially because I’m teaching a workshop on the subject in less than 24 hours, but also because the weather here in West Michigan is just screaming “Fall” — and fresh produce is aplenty! I’ll be the first to admit that food preserving CAN BE overwhelming. I’ve been preserving {either by myself or helping my mom} for over 15 years and I still fell a bit of anxiety when I know a […]

I don’t think there is anything more delicious than opening up a can of homegrown, home-canned fruit in the middle of winter. There is just something about it that tastes even better than fresh fruit — but that might be the added sugar! If you’ve never tried to can your own fruit, now is a great time to start. There is still plenty of time to pick up some fresh produce from a local farmer’s market or u-pick farm — […]

Berries are my favorite foods to preserve each year. And I can’t think of a better way to preserve delicious sweet berries than homemade jams and jellies — can you? Not only are jams and jellies relatively quick and easy to master, they are also inexpensive to make, and far superior to any variety you can buy at your local store {if you’ve never had homemade jam, you’ll just have to trust me on this one!} Every year, I make […]